Workshop: Agile Release Planning

We lead this Workshop in two contexts. The first context is a 1 day ‘add-on’ to a course. To us, the workshop is virtually required as part of the CSM course or the CSPO course. The Workshop can also be done as a stand-alone event, usually in-house for one company or organization. Some people who are unable to do it as the 3rd day often return and do the ARP workshop later.

The main content is Agile Release Planning and Release Plan Refactoring.

Agile Release Planning means that the team does the following with a real set of work:

Agree on the Vision

Develop the Product Backlog

Estimate Business Value

Estimate Effort

Discuss Risks, Dependencies, Learning and other factors

Order the Work

Finalize the Release Plan

Working with a real team on their real work is an excellent way to start using Scrum. It brings out the team’s real issues, and some concerns dissipate. They are prepared to really start “on Monday.”

After Agile Release Planning, we discuss Release Plan Refactoring (aka Product Backlog grooming or Product Backlog refinement). As time permits, how we roll out of initial Agile Release Planning into the first sprint. We review some details of how Sprint Planning should be done.